Portage la Prairie Mayor Sharilyn Knox is setting the record straight about the deer pen in Island Park, which has been a beloved part of the community for decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has been some misinformation going around, so let’s clear it up,\u201d Knox says in a recent social media post. \u201cThis pen has been a part of our community for decades, and right now four deer are living here.\u201d<\/p>\n
She notes the pen hasn\u2019t seen new fawns in several years.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s been over five years since the last fawn was born, and we don’t expect any more breeding. Deer can live up to 20 years, so over time the numbers will naturally decline,\u201d Knox adds.<\/p>\n
The first deer were introduced to the park in the early 1900s, and over time, the enclosures expanded to include multiple species.<\/p>\n
At its peak, the park reportedly housed up to 40 deer, and even llamas made a temporary appearance in the pen decades ago.<\/p>\n
Knox continues that the type of deer in the pen is still somewhat of a mystery.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome sources say they’re chital deer, which are native to the Indian subcontinent, while others say they’re fallow deer, a species that originated in Europe and the Middle East and has been around since Paleolithic times.\u201d<\/p>\n
She remarks that the pen is kept in a natural state for the health and well-being of the animals. \u201cJust to be clear, the Winnipeg Zoo has nothing to do with our deer pen,\u201d Knox mentions.<\/p>\n
City staff are also planning maintenance work.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou may notice a few downed trees inside this area. Those will be cleaned up this winter,\u201d Knox adds.<\/p>\n